I report on the business of sports for Forbes' SportsMoney group. My sports interests range from baseball and hockey to cricket and Formula One, though I specialize mainly in college football and basketball. Studying sports business interests me both as a writer and a sports fan, and I've found that digging through financial reports is often just as enjoyable as combing a box score. Reach me at csmith@forbes.com and follow me on Twitter @ChrisSmith813.

It’s the first blank slate in nearly two decades, and it’s especially stunning because Craig Biggio was on the ballot.

In 20 seasons with the Houston Astros, Biggio put put up over 3,000 hits, nearly 1,200 RBIs, more than 400 stolen bases and 668 doubles, good for fifth-most all-time. His career WAR according to Baseball Reference is 62.1, ranking 88th among position players and higher than those of Jackie Robinson, Yogi Berra, Harmon Killebrew and Hank Greenberg. Fans who watched Biggio play will remember him for his rare combination of speed, power and an interminable work ethic constantly on display both at the plate and in the field.

Add it all together and you ought to have a surefire Hall-of-Famer, right?

Apparently not. Though Biggio received the most votes of anyone this year – 388 (68.2%) – the seven-time All Star will have to wait until 2014 for another shot at the hallowed Hall. One possible reason is that some voters may feel he’s not worthy of first-ballot enshrinement, which seems like a rather silly notion unless Biggio is somehow capable of boosting his career numbers before next year’s vote. The other excuse that baseball writers will have for exempting Biggio is equally ridiculous: he just played at the wrong time. The steroid era.

The list of those behind Biggio in this year’s voting includes several of his contemporaries, all of whom were among the very best of their time: Jeff Bagwell, Mike Piazza, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds. It’s also a who’s who of players suspected or accused of using steroids during their careers (Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa also appear further down the list). Biggio, to my knowledge, has never been linked to any serious accusations of drug use, but playing among the accused is apparently sufficient guilt.

In other words, the mere suspicion of steroid use is enough to deny a baseball player his rightful place in the Hall of Fame. It’s a very problematic approach because, unless MLB has been hiding some extensive drug tests, we’ll never know who was truly clean and who wasn’t.

But even beyond that issue, I believe that Biggio, Bagwell, Piazza, Clemens and Bonds would all deserve a place in the Hall of Fame even if we had definitive proof that they used steroids. Barry Bonds could show up to his induction with a steroid needle sticking out of his neck and I wouldn’t change my mind. They deserve enshrinement based on what they did on the field, not what went on in a gym or locker room. These players were among the most dominant of their era, and that era is a part of baseball’s history whether we like it or not.

Did steroid users gain a significant advantage over those who played without the aid of performance enhancers? No doubt. And did those same steroid users enjoy inflated numbers compared to those who played previously? It sure seems like it.

But that was simply the nature of baseball in the 1990′s, and understanding how to demarcate one era from another is not a new practice to fans of the sport. Those who truly care about the Hall of Fame are already well aware that the accomplishments of each and every member can only be fully appreciated in the proper context.

Take Hank Aaron for instance. Aaron famously broke Babe Ruth’s home run record, one that had stood for nearly 40 years, en route to 755 career home runs. Yet it took Aaron a whopping 2,965 games just to match Ruth’s 714 home runs; for some background, consider that only 11 other ballplayers have ever played in as many games. Ruth, on the other hand, got to 714 homers in 2,503 games – and he spent the first few years of his career as a pitcher.

So which performance is more impressive? Before you choose, remember that MLB lowered the pitching mounds in the midst of Aaron’s career, a move intended to improve offensive production, but also that Ruth caught his own break by not having to face the top pitchers of his day as greats like Satchel Paige and Bullet Rogan were restricted to the Negro Leagues.

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Then-Commissioner Fay Vincent made it clear in 1991: “Fay Vincent effectively put steroids on baseball’s list of banned substances in a memo sent to all MLB teams. Baseball could not test for steroids, the memo said, but should a player be caught with steroids, he would be sent for treatment and subject to penalties. This memo was never publicized and, seemingly, was largely ignored by both management and the players’ union. Commissioner Bud Selig reissued the same memo in 1997, with minor changes but with the same lack of conviction. Several GMs at the time tell ESPN the Magazine the memo probably was lost in the blizzard of other paperwork coming out of the commissioner’s office.” http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2217361

And your point about Pete Rose betting after he retired … well, he was betting when he was a manager. That’s not okay, whether you’re betting on your team to win or not.

Craig Biggio didn’t get in during his first year because that reward goes to dominant players. Biggio played 20 seasons but didn’t hit for power (291 HRs in 20 seasons ain’t power); or average (.281 lifetime). Defensively, he had 4 Gold Gloves in 20 seasons – good, but not exactly an Ozzi Smith performance. He ranks 64th in stolen bases and 162nd in RBIs. Biggio wasn’t “robbed” of anything; it’s just that the first year entry standards haven’t been dropped to his level. Biggio was a solid player – but it’s not The Hall of Solid Players; it’s the Hall of Fame. He gets to wait another year or two.

Here’s a few things to think about when you say Bonds& Clemens & their kind belong.What would Mantle Aaron,Mays etc.have done record wise with steriods.Mr.True class act Roger Maris injuries killed his chances for enshrisement.Proof read others comments on him.While where at it we forget another Bonds who’s fine numbers could have been nicely juiced Bobby Bonds.Negro leaguers such as Charleston & Gibson have been proven by such class witnesses as Willie Mays ,Henry Aaron,&Griffey Jnr.They where there equivelent in the only league that could showcase their skills.

Most of those guys were good players to start with. Clemmons always had it. I watched Sosa play and was sorry to see him go from Texas. And, as for Pete Rose, the voters are just lying to themselves by not including him. Native ability and a consumate desire to win are evidence for each.

Totally agreed – both Bonds and Clemens were among the best of their time before they juiced. In fact, you could argue Bonds got worse with steroids because he went from the best five-tool player in the game to being solely a power hitter.

Just one last little bit Mickey Mantle with the DH rule.Even with all those injuries.His numbers wouldn’t be higher.No Ihave no love for the steriods.Wasn’t that what literally destoyed Chris Benioya or however you spell his name.